Bonnie People Community Project
Bonnie People is a community development project in Bonnievale, Western Cape, South Africa. It assists the inhabitants of a "squatter camp" (informal settlement) situated in a little valley on the edge of Bonnievale. The project invests especially in the needs of the children and acts as "guardian" for the people of the squatter camp".
We run a feeding scheme for all the children of the squatter camp, host a day care facility for children 0 – 2 years, offer a kindergarden (nursery school) for the 3-6 year olds and facilitate youth activities.
We Strive
We strive to live by our motto, that Every person carries the seed of beauty within them and the result is simply that Bonnie People is a place of happy people
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Vision
We have occasional craft sessions with adults and would like to expand on adult education and skills training. We also grow healthy vegetables naturally and with our ever-thriving garden have inspired many passers-by from the settlement to start their own food-growing in their muddy yards.
The seed for this Project was planted by Heidi van der Merwe, a well-respected Bonnievale resident who has spent the last 15 years volunteering her help to surrounding communities. Heidi runs a Guestfarm (Merwenstein) outside Bonnievale and has brought many a visitor to the project.
Our Haven
Our little haven is an oasis for the children. Here, new hope is kindled in the hearts of all Bonnie People – staff, children and visitors alike.
Some of these visitors were touched by the children and offered their support. Two fundraising organisations, LUXPRO DIGNITAS and IKAMVALETHU, were initiated after one of these visits.
With the initial funding from LUXPRO DIGNITAS , Heidi secured a derelict building near the settlement and transformed it into a usable space. Today this little landmark prides itself with the beauty it emits and the bonnie people it helps develop.